The Wind Is Rested
by Josie Gibbons
Summary: set a few years after Firesong, how the world is after the wind on fire. think Pinto's daughter and what's going to happen to her...i'm rubbish at sumaries so please R&R.
1. Default Chapter

THE WIND IS RESTED Chapter one: Meeting in the dark 

The homeland was quiet when Niomee Hath crawled out of her parents home and then, standing up strode out across the grass towards the graveyard. The small enclosed field near the edge of the homeland was her favourite place to be as it contained, among others, the grave of her grandmother Ira Hath the prophetess. And beside it, standing proud and silent, the memorial stone for her namesake and mothers sister Kestrel Hath, who had given her life to save the Manth people from the approaching evil of the Morah.

Niomee's full name was Niomee Kestrel Hath, after her mothers sister who had sacrificed herself to give her family a good home safe from evil. Niomee only knew the truth about what had happened on that final night from her Uncle Bowman, who as well as being Kestrel's twin brother had been there when Kestrel gave herself up to the singer people. Her mother, Pinto Hath, had married Mumpo shortly after Kestrel's death, and Mumpo had slowly grown to love Pinto, even though she was the younger sister of the woman he truly loved.

Niomee had been shocked by the news that her father hadn't truly loved her mother, but she had grown out of it, and to save her heart from the worry it was giving her she had spoken to her father about it. His words echoed in her mind as she crossed the grass towards the tall stone that could be seen from across most of the homeland.

"Kessy, listen to me now." She remembered him saying. Her family always called her Kessy or Kestrel, even though she asked them not to when she saw the pain in their eyes. It didn't really matter what she said to them about it, because deep down Pinto and Mumpo were both proud to have their daughter named after Kestrel Hath, and the whole family wanted to keep the name alive. "I love your mother very dearly, and she has always loved me. I love her almost as much as I loved your auntie Kess but a love like the love I had for Kess can't be got rid of easily. Don't let anyone tell you that I don't love your mother because if they tell you that then it's a lie but I won't deny it and neither will your mom, I did love Kestrel Hath and I will always love her. Pinto is my wife, and I love her dearly, but Kestrel is my love. I'm trusting you with this now Kessy, don't go spilling mom and dad's secrets around the rest of the village." She had promised, and run off to play on her own like she normally did, but deep in her heart she had understood that the knowledge of would effect her for many ears to come because it was so personal about her mother and fathers relationship. Now she finally understood the truth about how they lived and how sometimes they seemed to not be married at all, almost to be best friends brought together by some common loss. She had always thought she was just imagining things when she thought this before but now she understood that she had been simply seeing the honest truth; that her parents had been brought together by a common loss. Even this fact wouldn't have bothered her so much, but to know that your father loved your auntie better than he loved your mother is an impossible thing to accept lightly. In fact, for several days she had taken the knowledge so badly that she had refused to talk to either Mumpo or Pinto about anything, no matter what questions they asked her about what subject.

However that was a long time ago, and Niomee had accepted the truth about her family. She now took it as a good thing that her father had loved her aunt so much, as it gave her someone other than her uncle Bowman, who was rarely in the homeland anyway, to ask about the woman she idolised. Niomee was now fifteen and old enough to be wed, but she had no wish to be yet. She had met someone who her family agreed to be suitable, and she felt that she loved him, but her deepest dream in life was to become a singer and to do this she would not be able to be married. It wasn't that she really didn't want to either, for Niomee and Ross were very close and she wouldn't hesitate to marry him, if only she didn't have a wish to follow her aunt.

Her parents, her father particularly, weren't keen on her idea to become a singer, the pain of loosing Kestrel rested heavily on their hearts even though it had been seventeen years since they had come to the homeland. However both her parents had told her that it was entirely her choice for what she wanted to do in her life, and, as Niomee was constantly arguing, her uncle Bowman had been trained as one of the singer people before he had realised the truth of his destiny, that of the meeting-place. She was proud to be related to both the singers of her mothers generation, and was even more proud that her parents didn't have too great a problem with her going away from the homeland to learn as a singer.

"Kessy?" A voice asked behind her as she drew near to the graveyard, and she replied without looking back, knowing that the only person to call her Kessy apart from her parents was Ross and that only Ross would be out walking in the dark at this time of night.

"What's doing?" she asked, and stopped to wait for him to catch her up. "Not often we see you out here at night." She smiled gently as he caught up with her and stood beside her.

"I came to pray to Ira." He replied. "I need the prophetesses help on something important." It had recently become a habit of the Manth people to come to the graveside of Ira Hath and ask for guidance. It didn't matter whether it was a big thing or just a question about something small like whether to buy a dress or not, everyone who went to Ira claimed to get help in some unknown way.

"Oh, what's the problem?" She asked. It was normally thought as rude to ask why someone was visiting the Prophetess but Ross and Kessy never felt like this.

"It's something I feel I need help on. It's nothing serious," He replied, not looking at her.

"Oh, okay. I'll come with you, I'm going to visit Kestrel anyway." She didn't push him for information about why he was going to pray and they walked on in companionable silence for several minutes, until Ross took her hand in his and drew to a stop beneath a large tree.

Chapter one up. Chapter two will continue straight after chapter one left off so will start with the conversation between Niomee and Ross. I'm not sure exactly where this is going, and I reckon it was probably fairly confusing but I'm only starting with Wind On Fire so be patient. Please Read And Review this chapter, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Love and peace as always, Stargazing Maiden.


	2. Chapter Two

I'm so glad this went down well (I had one review but that's better than I expected). It makes me feel all warm inside when I get nice reviews. This chapter, unfortunately, I've been struggling against for about two weeks, but I'm just hoping the power of reviews will inspire me like it did with my other work. We'll just have to see what happens.

There was a Disclaimer on the other chapter but I forgot to check that the document had uploaded properly and fanfiction accidentally removed it so for the record I don't own anything from the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own GreenDay, Wind On Fire or anything else. Well, not literally but you get the idea. (The GreenDay thing came in there because that's what I'm listening to while I write this and when I write most of my work. Haushinka, brilliant song (I have about three of their albums uploaded to my computer, I have six out of nine).

Chapter Two: Midnight Conversation.

"Kessy, there's something…I mean, I want to tell you…I mean, I don't know how to say." Ross muttered, and Niomee sat down, pulling him down to the grass beside her.

"Whatever it is you know you can always trust Me." she smiled at him and touched his arm gently with her free hand. "I'm me and you're you, we're best friends. You can trust me with whatever it is you need to say." She smiled reassuringly at him, and he felt the normal rush of love he always felt when he was with her rush through his veins. Oh how he loved her, Niomee Hath. She was perfect for him and he was sure of it.

"I don't know how to say what I want to. I don't want to ruin what we have."

"You wont, nothing will ever come between us. I promise you that now. If you trust me then you'll trust in our friendship."

"I trust you, I have never trusted anyone else more." He reached out and placed his hand on her cheek, barely touching her, and she felt a rush of adrenaline coarse through her veins. "Kessy. I think I love you, will you be my bride?" he asked, and then added hastily. "But it doesn't matter if you say no. I'm sure there are better people out there than me who you're better suited to. No, I'm sure there is. It was a mistake to ask you."

Kessy reached up and took his hand from her face, holding it tightly.

"Ross…I don't know what to say."

"Say know." He replied quickly. "I shouldn't have asked you. it was stupid. You could never love anyone like me."

"Don't be stupid." She smiled. "Ross, I don't know what to say because I'm confused. I thought you would never love me, that was why I set my mind on being a singer. And I can't go back on what I need to be now. I'm sorry, but I just can't."

"You…you love me too?" Ross asked, disbelieve playing clearly across his face.

"More than you were ever to know." She smiled and pressed her hand to his, twining their fingers together. "I wish, Oh Ross, I wish I could stay here and be married."

"Do then, your destiny isn't written out in the stars." Niomee frowned in reply to this.

"I know it isn't in the stars, but its in somewhere nearly as deep as that. It's in my heart Ross. For all my life I've had only two dreams, and they keep coming back. One was to marry you and the other was to be a singer and follow Kestrel."

"So stay here and marry me. It's still fulfilling one of your dreams." Niomee shook her head.

"No, it was a long time ago when I decided which one to follow now. I'm going to be a singer and follow Kestrel to the end. Maybe eventually I'll even meet with her. Could you imagine that? Me, little unimportant Niomee me getting to meet Kestrel who gave us the homeland."

"You were never little unimportant Niomee to me."

"No." she joked. "I was little unimportant Kessy instead."

"Something like that." he grinned. "Minus the little and unimportant bits."

"So that makes me Unimportant then does it? Unimportant isn't a small word."

"You know what I mean!" he shoved at her gently and then got up. "Come on. I don't think I need to talk to Ira after that conversation with you but you said you were on the way to see Kestrel. I'll come too if you want."

"Naturally." Niomee smiled and got up, slipping her arm around him.

"Hey, Ross…"

"Yea?"

"I think I love you too."

Yay thanks for reading this chapter. I know it was short but I was still having problems with it so longer chapters will be back again soon. And if this isn't up until Monday then sorry for the delay. The school computers were being slow today and I'm not certain if they'll be behaving by tomorrow. I have quite a lot to post up and this is third on the list of five. Love and peace as always, Stargazing Maiden.


	3. A promise made

I have got rid of my writers block and am back working on this. Praise be to the goddess (and to re-reading the books). So more chapters sooner and as always please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Wind On Fire or any of the songs that I listen to when I write. They all belong to various different artists and authors and I can't claim anything to do with them.

Chapter Three: A Promise Made

"So you're definitely going then?" Ross asked and Niomee nodded.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to." She smiled at him. "I don't know what I want to do at the moment and leaving now is the only thing that makes any sense. It's what I planned to do ages ago and if I do it then I'll feel a lot better to be out of here."

"I suppose you're right. If you don't go now then you might not get another chance." He hugged her and she hugged him back, glad that he understood. The simple words, the simple admittance that she was making the right choice, was all she needed. That and his trust, and they seemed to go hand in hand, in her mind at least.

It was two weeks after the conversation in the dark, and Bowman Hath was visiting his family in the homeland. The visits from him and his wife were rare as they were normally busy with affairs of state but as one of Ira Hath's twins his visits were always celebrated. It seemed that when her came home the whole of the homeland came out to celebrate, but he always found time to have a few quiet words with his sister and her husband, and to talk to his father in the quiet of a private room. Niomee had no idea what they talked about in these conversations, but she had a feeling that it was to do with her grandmother or her aunt, more likely her aunt because he talked to her father about it too. Although Bowman's wife Sisi always accompanied him on his visits it was very rarely she was involved in his conversations, preferring to use her time to talk to the younger girls about the latest fashions of Gang. She might not have worn them herself but it was never to be said that she wasn't educated in them.

It hadn't been long after Bowman and Sisi arrived that Niomee had requested that she would go with her uncle and learn to be a singer. It was something she had been thinking about for so long and her family had known it, so when she finally requested it they had agreed without question, if not a bit uncertainly. The truth was that if Bowman hadn't promised on her safety when she was in his care she would have never been let to go.

"Look after yourself Kessy." Ross whispered, holding her tightly in his arms. "And when you come back I promise I'll still be waiting for you." he leant forwards and kissed her gently on the cheek, before turning away and standing beside his family, watching as a single tear slid down her cheek and fell to the ground at his feet. There was no need for any more words, the tear said all.

The whole of the homeland had turned out to say goodbye to the grand-daughter of the prophet, and there was much rejoicing and sorrowful goodbyes as Niomee Hath moved between her friends and neighbours.

"Goodbye Mia." She smiled at the three year old girl standing by the feet of her mother, Lunki. "Be a good girl for your mummy and daddy." she said, and hugged the little girl back when she came into Niomee's arms. "I'll come back soon Mia, don't you worry." She said, gently detaching herself from the young girls arms and moving along between her different friends.

"It was good to know you." she said, stopping next to one of her other old friends, one Punch Greeth, and then moved along the line, saying goodbye to everyone in turn.

"Ready then Kestrel?" Bowman asked, reaching out to take the hand of his niece as she reached the end of the line, and then letting her go again as she ran into her mothers arms one last time, letting herself be enveloped in the strong arms.

"Look after yourself my darling. Please, please stay safe."

"I will, I promise mum. It's the time to forget, remember."

"Yes, I remember, but we never know when the time of cruelty will come again."

"We do though mum, and don't you ever forget it. Kestrel Hath gave up her life so we'd have many years of peace and so that her family and ancestors would always be happy. She wouldn't have given everything up if it wasn't worth it."

"I suppose. But please look after yourself, and remember that while my sister was amazing she couldn't guarantee a good future, she couldn't tell what was coming just like she couldn't tell it was her who would go rather than Bow."

"I promise I'll be careful." Niomee promised, turning then to her father, and not bothering to mention the fact that she knew to be true, that Kestrel had always known that she would be the one. "I'm doing this for how much you loved auntie Kess." She explained. "This isn't really for me at all, but everything you've told me about how Kess lived has inspired me."

Mumpo nodded and then in the pretence of hugging her goodbye bent down and whispered a simple sentence into her ear.

"Thank you, I'm sure she's more proud than we'll ever really know." She felt his tear wet her hair and understood, holding him closer than she ever had before.

And with that Niomee Hath, youngest of the Hath family and true daughter of Ira turned and walked away towards the boat that would take her to her destiny.

Chapters will be up again faster now so long as my floppies don't break again, because I've just re-read the books and I know what I'm doing with this again (I've got direction and a plot line in my head…yay, go me). I know this chapter wasn't quite long as it could be but expect more updates soon and I'll carry on writing so long as there's reviews.

Love and peace (cause peace rocks more than Green Day),

The One And Only,

Stargazing Maiden.


	4. dreams of hope

3

The wind is restedStargazing Maiden

A/N: See, I said updates would be back. Even if the chapters are short.

Disclaimer: don't own WOF. If you add and 'F' it spells WOLF. Wolfs are cool…hmmm, wolfs.

Chapter four: dreams of hope

"Morning, Kessy. You slept well I presume?"

"Yes thank you, Auntie Sisi. Better than I've slept in ages." Niomee smiled, sitting up on her bed and taking the tray of breakfast offered to her.

"I'm glad to hear it." Sisi paused for a few seconds, then "I hope you realise how proud I am that you've come to stay with us, and that you've chosen the same path as my Kess did so many years ago. She was a darling, Kessy, a total darling. You're auntie Kess I'm talking about now, of course. Did you know she was my first and dearest friend Kessy, even though I didn't know her for so very long?"

Niomee shook her head; this was all news to her. She hadn't even known that her Auntie Sisi had met her aunt, she assumed that because she was previously a princess of Gang that she was someone her uncle met when he was travelling, that she had no connection to the old Manth people or the journey that had brought them to the homeland. She voiced these concerns.

"I thought you were from Gang? Not Manth anyway?"

"You thought right then, to an extent." Sisi looked up as her husband came into the small bedroom and took a seat beside his niece's bed.

"I see your mother and father have chosen to keep several of the details of our journey from you." He began. "And up until now it was their decision what you knew. But now you're under my care and I plan to treat you as the adult you now are by old Manth tradition." Niomee was confused, what was it her mother and father could have kept from her? What was there she didn't know about them coming from Amaranth to The Homeland. She knew that it had been a long and hard journey, and that they had nearly ran out of food on numerous occasions, and that her grandmother Ira Hath had been carried on a litter for the last few miles because she was unable to walk. Oh, and Bowman and Kestrel had left them just before they reached the homeland to go and be part of the Wind On Fire, only Bowman hadn't been a real singer, he'd been the meeting point. When it actually came to it she realised she didn't really know that much, and Bowman sensed that in her, he'd always been good at sensing things.

"I suppose in their own right neither Pinto or Mumpo were there at the end nor saw what we saw, and taking that into consideration it's not their fault how little you know. But it is important that you know at least some of what happened, some bits that they won't have told you.

"I know they haven't told you about the slavery and the death of your granda on your fathers side, but that's not really important at this point. What is important at this point is that you remember the first lesson of the singer people. everything takes time." with that he got up and left the room, followed closely by Sisi. Niomee lay back on her pillows again, and found herself remembering how her uncle had always been like that, always looked like he was going to talk for hours but then walking out on a story. oh well, she didn't understand why, it was just something he did, a fact to live with.

Bowman's room

Oh Kess, I don't know what came over me back there. Bowman didn't make a sound but his thought was answered.

_I know, I was with you, remember. I'm always with you, forever._

I know, I know. Its just, sometimes I forget, sometimes I just want to scream and cry that I haven't got you properly still, that I'm unable to hug you, to be close to you like we used to be.

_It's been over twenty years but I still look back on that first fifteen years of our lives as the best, the time when we were together in mind but had our own bodies to inhabit._

She looks like you.

_Who? Niomee?_

Yes. Who else.

_I know, I could tell that was what you were thinking the first day you saw her, and you haven't changed since then. You care for her because she reminds you of me, and likewise myself._

It's not just her looks; it's her whole attitude. To everything, not just simple things. The way she doesn't want to be married, and her stubborn nature. She's so much like you, sometimes when I see her after not seeing her for a while I think I'm looking at you. That somehow things have all gone back to the way they used to be.

_It's my greatest dream too, Bow, to be back to how we were._

I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, training Niomee.

_You chose her because she reminded you of me, but I think she has talent. You can tell some things about people, but I can tell others._

I guess. Thanks Kess. Love you.

_You only need to ask and I'll help you Bow. You know I'll always love you._

Okay…so not very good but I'm in a rush. I thought I'd put in a bit of conversation between Bowman And Kestrel because I love them both and I thought it would be interesting to look into their relationship with each other now she's living in his mind. Reviews appreciated,

Loves,

Sam o


	5. Chapter 5

2

The wind is restedStargazing Maiden

Disclaimer: Don't own WOF.

A/N: I have fallen in love with this story again. It's brilliant and I know what I'm going to do with it and I love the plot I've got and it's brilliant. And I'm really happy tonight too, but you know, that's what life's about.

Chapter six:

Niomee ripped open the envelope and pulled out the first letter inside. Letters from home, the one thing she had really been looking forward to for the past few weeks. Because whatever she might have thought at first life as a singer was anything but idyllic. Yea, it felt good to be learning the things her aunt had known when she had saved her family from death, but at the same time there was a lot of theory and patience attached to being a singer. And patience was something Niomee, as a teenage girl, was lacking in a lot. It wasn't that she had any problem with waiting, it was just that sometimes she found it a bit too much. Sometimes she missed her home and her friends and longed to go back to them, but her uncle had promised her that when the time came she would travel with him to the Homeland once again. She looked down at the letter she had been holding in her hands and read it aloud, a practice she was finding it hard to break.

Dearest Niomee.

I miss you. I know, I know, you've only been gone for about a month, but I do. The homeland isn't the same without you. You're not here and it feels like there's so much less to do. I suppose I didn't notice before but there's not really anyone else our age around here, is there? Sometimes I think maybe that was why you got out, so you could find some more people of your age, but then I think no, that I'm just being stupid. You left us because you wanted to become a singer, and I respect you for that more than anything else in the world. But I do miss you Kessy, and I don't think I'd feel any different if you had left us for any other reason, because you were, and still are, my best friend. You always will be, because we grew up together and you're a really amazingly wonderful person. Even if a few people around here are mad at you for leaving I'm not. They don't remember why, well, I guess they just don't know. The homeland is good, and so are everyone here, we're all getting along okay, Pinka is pregnant! It came as such a shock to me, and to everyone else, because yea, she's married, but she's very young to be having children. And then I remember that your mother was the same age when she had you, and so was mine. It seems that it seems like everything's very young because they're the same age as us or only a few years younger (Pinka is nearing her nineteenth year). And then I think that that'll be us in a few years but I don't mind because I know that it'll never be us in that way. You'll be a singer and I'll be me working here. It feels strange until you really think about the way things used to be and how people are actually doing all these things a lot older than they used to in the time of Ira.

Did I mention that I have a job? I'm helping old Scoot in his bakery, he says I have talent with pastries and has offered to take me on as a full time apprentice. That would be so great, that I could have a good job and a settled down life. it's been one of my greatest dreams to settle down and have a quiet life and now I have that with the help of one of the original travellers. Scoot is getting a bit senile in his old age but his pastries and cakes are still as well made, I feel proud that I've had a chance to learn from him.

I must go; I was asked not to write a long letter because your mum and dad both want to put something in this envelope too.

Thinking about you always,

Ross.

Niomee smiled, thinking of all the news that had come in such a short letter. It was true, things had been happening later and later in the homeland, but it was still a shock to hear that Pinka was pregnant, and to think that her and Ross were nearing the age where they could by the laws of their people have children. Not that she would ever have children, that just wasn't right for her. She was little Niomee Hath who had always chosen the awkward way even as far as leaving the homeland. Dear Ross though, he'd got his life sorted out for him now. a job in the bakery had always been his dream and he wasn't lying, Scoot was still an amazing pastry chief. She put her hand back into the envelope and pulled out the second letter, reminding herself to read it to herself in her head this time.

Dearest Niomee,

How much we miss you, our big grown up daughter. And how strange it is to think of you so far away when we're still here surrounded by all your things. We would worry, only that we know Bowman and Sissy will mind you like their own daughters. How are the girls? I bet Ira's grown into a big man now, it's been so long since I last saw him. And Lilly the eldest, she must be married now, a big girl and fully adult. I remember that she was only twelve years younger than me, which would make her twenty-three now. a true woman. Has she any children herself? Do you still see her about the palace?

The gossip here is good, everyone is happy though Callie-Rose died last week during childbirth. Do you remember her? Small one with blonde hair. We've adopted her son now ourselves, so you have a new brother. The poor woman had not time with him. She barely had time to give her son his name, David after his father. You remember David, one of the merchants that come and go each year. We're still considering whether or not to tell him that David is his son, but in the past week we've grown so attached to him that we fear that his father will take him away. And while we know that it would be fairer if he grew up with his father we also feel it would be only fair to him to let him grow up in the homeland with his mothers people. We're at a loss of what to do. Maybe you'll be able to help us? You're an adult now, and should be able to help people with this type of thing.

We hope this letter finds you well and healthy, and learning your studies to the best of your abilities. We would ask if Bow and Sissy are treating you well but we know it's a stupid question. Instead we leave you with this one question, has he told you the truth yet? If not he obviously feels your training has not progressed far enough, and that's his decisions.

We must go now, but remember in this letter we send you all the love we have and all the words of comfort and help we would give you were you here with us.

Love as always,

Pinto and Mumpo,

Mum and Dad.

Looking down at the two letters in her hands Niomee felt tears come to her eyes and soak down her cheeks. She didn't know why but for some reason getting these letters from Ross and her parents just brought up so many emotions, both good and bad. She loved them, but she missed them so much too, more than anything else in the world. Oh if only her aunt Kestrel, the first and best Kestrel, was there with her.

Okay, I know. Leaving it at a weird place. But it's my story and that's what I feel like doing. So reviews appreciated.

Love and peace,

Stargazing Maiden.


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